“You know, that wasn’t very nice of Natasha today,” Sean commented as he took a swig of his beer. It was after hours and they were at their usual joint, a few streets away from where Sean worked.

Michael glared at his friend. “What do you mean? Natasha thought that cave woman had stolen her bracelet, so she confronted her. What’s wrong with that? That cave woman looks like a thief anyway.”

“Hey,” Sean snapped. “That’s my friend you’re talking about. And her name’s Ellen.”

“Friend? Damn, what evil magical spell did this Ellen witch put on you, I wonder,” Michael scoffed.

“Watch your words, arsehole,” Sean warned.

Michael frowned and then relented. “Sorry, bud. Got a bit carried away. But you should have seen her this morning. Man! Talk about having no poise and decorum!”

“I figured that much out. She was the Apocalypse you encountered this morning, wasn’t she?” Sean grinned.

“Ugh,” Michael feigned a choke. “Don’t remind me.”

“She really isn’t that bad, once you get to know her.”

Michael looked at his friend suspiciously. “You’ve got the hots for her, don’t you?” he grinned.

“No, I don’t. We’re just friends...now.”

Michael raised a brow. “Friends? Now? Oohhh...so, what were you guys before?”

“We used to go out,” Sean explained. “Then decided we were better off as friends, okay? Happy, now?”

Michael laughed. “You found out what a terror she was, eh?”

“Hey Neanderthal, maybe you should learn to check that the person you’re back-stabbing isn’t standing behind you cos your back may be the one that gets stabbed instead.”

Like a slow-mo film, both guys turned around very slowly towards the direction of the voice. Sean had a silly and amused grin on his face. Michael’s face, on the other hand, had shock horror written all over.

“Hi Ellen, glad you could make it,” Sean said, trying hard not to burst out laughing.

Michael gaped at his friend. “You mean you invited her?” he exclaimed.

“Do you own this place? If you don’t, I’d suggest you just sit quietly and keep your mouth shut,” Ellen commented as she casually pulled herself up onto the bar stool next to Sean.

Sean laughed. “Ellen, this is Michael. Michael, meet Ellen.”

“Cave woman,” Michael muttered bitterly.

“Oh? Did you say something, Neantherdal?” Ellen retorted.

“Guys, guys...” Sean sighed. “Kiss and make up, will you?”

“I’d rather eat puke,” Ellen said.

Micheal sneered. “Oh, that must be why your mouth stinks so much then.”

Ellen glared daggers at him, then she broke into a malicious grin. “Oooo...isn’t the little puppy dog following its bitchy master around?” she said with a mocking tone.

“Natasha is not a bitch and I am not her puppy dog. She’s the most beautiful woman in the world, which is more than I can say about you,” Michael retorted with a scowl.

Ellen grinned at Sean. “Hmm...I don’t remember mentioning any names, do you?”

Sean threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. “Come on, guys. I’m sure the both of you can get along with each other if you tried.”

Michael spun around to look at Sean. “This excuse for a woman here? You want me to be friends with her? I’m sorry, bud. But do you know what she did to me this morning? She’s mental!” he exclaimed.

Ellen rolled her eyes at Michael’s comment about her. “It takes one mental case to know another...”

“If I see another minute of you, I’d be a mental case, yes.” Michael said.

Sean sighed. “What did you do, Ellen?”

“Nothing,” she replied, smiling at him innocently.

“Nothing!” Michael cried. “You feel this bump on my head here? That’s her doing!”

“Oh? I gave you a brain? You must thank me then,” Ellen smirked.

“Ellen...” Sean sighed again.

Michael stared at her, mouth wide opened. “Sean, I don’t give a damn if she’s your friend. I’m sorry but I think I’m going to commit murder now,” he said as he got off the bar stool and walked over menacingly to Ellen.

Ellen continued to sip at her Bloody Mary nonchalantly. Sean, unable to conceal his amusement any longer, burst out laughing uncontrollably.

Eros nudged Chance. “So, those are the two mortals you were telling me about?” he asked, gesturing towards Ellen and Michael. Both Aspects were seated at a table just behind the trio.

Chance nodded with a grin. “An interesting pair, aren’t they?”

Eros looked at his colleague suspiciously. “You called me here to observe them for a reason, didn’t you?”

Chance smiled and put his arm over Eros’ shoulders. “My fellow Aspect, I just thought they needed a little push in the right direction...if you know what I mean...After all, I brought them ‘together’. It’s my duty to see them through.”

“Hey, I would do it anytime. You know how I hate to see humans bicker. But Spyda would chuck a fit if she found out,” Eros said. “Correction. When she finds out.”

Chance waved his hand nonchalantly. “It’ll be too late when she does anyway...So, how about it?” he asked.

Eros grinned as he unbuttoned his jacket and drew his gun. Chance snickered and leaned back into the chair, his hands resting behind his head.

“Oh, you’re not afraid of me, are you cave woman? You don’t think I have the guts to kill you, do you?” Michael growled.

Ellen turned and smiled sweetly at him. “You got that wrong again. I do think. It’s you who doesn’t think.”

The ‘bullet’ hit its target right then. Michael opened his mouth for an appropriate comeback to her insult but he couldn’t think of anything to say. All he could think of was how cute she looked sitting there, smiling at him. He shook himself mentally. Hello! Are you mad?! Has her disease rubbed off on you? You can’t stand this woman, he reminded himself. What was I about to do? Oh yes, I was about to kill her. Then why is it I just feel like taking her into my arms and kissing her right now? Damn it! What the hell’s wrong with me?!

“The cat got your tongue?” Ellen sneered. Just then, the second ‘bullet’ found its target. What an idiot, she thought. Then again, a rather cute idiot if I may add...huh? Did I just say that? What do they put into their Bloody Marys here? I must be delirious and hallucinating. How can I even think that this tanned, handsome guy in front of me was cute. Shit! I said it again! And this time I even called him handsome. Ooohh, but those eyes. They’re so full of fire. He’s so macho when he’s angry. Ughhh...did I just say macho? I think I need to go home now...I must be real tired...

At the same time in the Observatory in Spyda's office, Spyda rubbed her eyes a few times thinking she had seen wrongly. The two threads she had been observing once again evolved differently and diverted from the paths they were supposed to take. “What the...” she exclaimed. “Grrr...Eros...Chance...wait till I get my hands on the both of you...” she fumed.

Sean looked at Ellen and then at Michael. Both were frozen in their tracks just staring at each other. “Err...hello?” he waved his hand in front of their faces.

Both of them snapped out of their reverie. Michael coughed in embarrassment. Ellen quickly looked away.

“Err...I just remembered, there’s something I have to do. I’ve got to go now,” Michael mumbled and headed towards the exit.

Ellen watched him go before turning back round towards the bar.

Sean frowned. “What’s up with him?”